Underdog Hatton warned he must find Pep to floor all-time great Mayweather

RICKY HATTON has got to knock out Floyd Mayweather if he is going to claim the WBC welterweight title in Las Vegas on Saturday — according to one of only two men who has fought them both.

Canadian Tony Pep took Mayweather the 10-round distance in 1998 and three years later managed to bloody Hatton before being stopped in four rounds at Wembley Arena.

Along with Mexican Jose Luis Castillo, Pep is in a unique position to assess the qualities of both fighters ahead of their super-fight and cannot see a way for the Englishman to win if it goes the distance.

Pep said: “Hatton has to stick to Mayweather like glue and even then I don’t think he can put on enough pressure to win on points. If he has a chance, it is a puncher’s chance.

“Ricky’s a very tough fighter who can hurt you to the body. But in Mayweather you’ve got one of the all-time greats.

“He’s seen off everyone he’s fought in style and he’s got to be a big favourite.”

Now retired and running his own boxing gym in Vancouver, Pep impressed Mayweather so much in their fight he was invited back to act as chief sparring partner for Mayweather’s next fight against Genaro Hernandez.

Professional pride persuaded Pep to approach the assignment with the intention of getting his own back for their defeat in the ring — and that was when he discovered the depth of Mayweather’s talent.

Pep added: “When we fought I’d been a little bit rusty so when I was asked back to spar I thought, right, now’s the time to get him. Every day I turned up with a specific plan to unsettle him.

“But every day, it only took him a few seconds to adapt to whatever new thing I threw at him. I had sleepless nights thinking up new plans, and whatever I came up with he just adapted straight away.

“He’s something special, an extraordinary fighter. He was 21 years old when I fought him and afterwards he looked me in the eyes and said, Tony, people mistake my confidence for cockiness.

“He said it was just a fact that nobody could beat him right now. He was right and here we are eight or nine years later and he’s still not lost. He is a nice, regular guy who is able to back up all his boasts.”

Pep did not have such a good time against Hatton.

Taking the fight at only four days’ notice, he was well beaten and would not win again in his career before opting for retirement.

“I took that fight at four days’ notice and I wasn’t really ready,” added Pep.

“When I cut him they said it was a head-butt but it wasn’t, it was a good punch. I fear Hatton might cut in this fight too.

“But it will be a good fight. It’s always good to watch fighters fight who you once fought against.

“Hatton’s done all the right things in his career so far. I just think Mayweather is that little bit extra special.”